A State-Wide Battle of the Bands Competition

The FReeZA Push Start Battle of the Bands competition showcases young musicians from around Victoria, giving them the opportunity to perform, gain local exposure, and win their way to a spot on the Grand Final line up. There’s also a bunch of cool prizes they can win from our generous sponsors (check out the prize list below).

Regional heats are hosted by FReeZA Committees each year from February to August, with the winners going on to compete in Regional Finals from October to December. The Grand Final will held at the annual Melbourne Moomba Festival in March 2015. Each FReeZA Committee that hosts a heat is supported to ensure that FReeZA Push Start is not only a platform for young performers, but a platform for young event organisers and promoters alike.

Previous Years:

FReeZA Push Start Battle of the Bands 2015-16 Series

This year's series of the FReeZA Push Start Battle of the Bands competition has officially started, with FReeZA committees all around Victoria planning their local heats. If you're in a band and are interested in entering, check out the information below on how to get involved.

To view a complete list of heats in the 2015 Series of the FReeZA Push Start Battle of the Bands, across all areas of Victoria, click here.

What type of bands/acts can enter?

The FReeZA Push Start Battle of the Bands competition is open to any style of music, including bands, soloists, duos, hip hop artists, electronic acts, acoustic acts, etc. It is of most benefit to artists performing original material.

What are the guidelines for entry?

You should familiarise yourself with all of the guidelines before entering the FReeZA Push Start Battle of the Bands competition.

Half of the band members must be 21 years of age or under, with no members exceeding 25 years of age at the time of the first heat event.

Any act that has won a heat event and competed in a Regional Final in any previous year is not eligible to re-enter.

The band or its members must not have a recording, publishing or distribution deal.

At the discretion of the FReeZA worker, the band must live, work, study or recreate in the City or Shire where their heat is held.

Entry is free of charge, but participants must cover all costs incurred by travel and accommodation.

What prizes can be won this year?

Thanks to our wonderful sponsors we have a rad prize pack for the overall competition winner! The winning bands of the 2015 Regional Finals will battle it out at the Grand Final at the City Of Melbourne's Moomba Festival on in March 2016, for the following prizes:

Day of engineering, producing, recording and mixing from Hothouse Studios

Jack The Bear Deluxe Mastering session

Pressing of 500 copies of your recording and a graphic design layout session by DEX Audio

$500 Chartbreaker Package including a promotions strategy & planning consultation and international distribution for nominated tracks to all online music stores for one year from Ditto

Tee Shirt run of 50x 1 colour print (valued at $500) from Love Police

$1000 Plakkit poster campaign

$2000 publicity campaign from Remedy PR

Artist Feature on The Push website

Artist interview / feature article in Beat Magazine

Complete clothing outfit from Dangerfield (to the value of $1000)

Dangerfield are the official clothing sponsor of the FReeZA Push Start Band Competition.The winning band will receive a complete clothing outfit from Dangerfield (to the value of $1000) and all grand finalists will receive a complimentary Dangerfield styling consultation and one clothing/accessory item (to the value of $200).

The APRA Award for Songwriting Winner will receive a music industry prize pack of $150 worth of books from APRA. All Grand Finalists will recieve a summary of the judges notes from the Regional Final and the Grand Final for their professional development from The Push.

How do I enter the FReeZA Push Start Battle of the Bands?

Battle heats are run from February to August, with most FReeZA committees taking part and advertising for band applications. Find your local FReeZA committee here, contact them and find out when their applications open. Then download the Artist Application Form and Guidelines above, complete every section and submit it to your local FReeZA worker.

You can view a complete list of all FReeZA Push Start Battle of the Band heats here, with contact details to get involved.

The FReeZA Push Start Regional Finals 2014 are funded through the FReeZA Program, a Victorian Government Initiative.